Middle East Faces Division as Iran Conflict and Houthi-Saudi Tensions Escalate

The recent strikes in Iraq and Egypt risk pulling additional Middle Eastern nations into the fighting, following the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen declaring a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia last week.

On Wednesday a drone struck a US-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, according to an initial assessment by British maritime security firm Ambrey, while US and Saudi forces hit Iran-aligned groups in eastern Iraq and Iran launched missiles toward US troops in Jordan.

The drone was said to have originated from Iran, as reported by the New York Times on Thursday.

In First, Saudi Arabia Publicly Joins Strikes Alongside US

The coordinated US-Saudi attacks marked the initial occasion Riyadh has openly taken part in operations with Washington.

Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, influential Iran-supported paramilitary units integrated into the national security apparatus, reported at least 20 members killed and 32 wounded in the US-Saudi strikes on multiple bases throughout Iraq.

Iraqi men chanted 'Death to America!' while transporting the bodies of fallen fighters in body bags.

Washington and Riyadh stated the strikes targeted Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq as retaliation for drone assaults on Saudi oil facilities launched from Iraqi soil.

Following the joint operations, Saudi Arabia's defense minister met with Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Wednesday to press the Trump administration against further escalation by targeting Yemen's Houthis or conducting more strikes on Iran-aligned militias in Iraq, according to two sources who spoke with Reuters.

One source noted that such escalation could lead to major unknown risks. The White House and Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Major Combat Operations Against Iran Would Carry Risk, Officials Warn

US officials have privately warned that resuming large-scale combat operations against Iran would pose risks due to the strain on munitions stockpiles.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, estimated this week that the US military possesses fewer than 1,000 Patriot interceptor missiles and fewer than 250 THAAD interceptors, two critical air defense systems.

Although Iran denies directing strikes from Iraqi territory, Iranian newspaper Hamshahri reported that four Iranian Revolutionary Guards advisers were killed in the Iraq strikes.

Who Are Iraq's Iranian-Backed Armed Groups?

The strikes on Iraq highlight a perilous divide in the unstable nation. The Shi'ite-led government maintains close military and diplomatic relations with both Tehran and Washington, yet these conflicting allegiances generate ongoing tension and periodic domestic unrest.

The office of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who assumed power just two months ago, called on all parties to prevent escalation and expressed a desire to shield the country from regional conflicts.

The Iraqi presidency condemned the strikes on the paramilitaries as an unacceptable attack and a clear violation of Iraq's sovereignty, while also demanding an end to attacks by armed groups on Iraq's neighbors.

The strong connections between Iran and Iraq, the two largest Shi'ite-majority countries, are evident this week as hundreds of thousands of Iranian religious pilgrims travel to shrines in Iraq for an annual mourning observance for martyrs.

US Strikes Iran as Widening War Engulfs More Countries

Hours before the attacks on Iraq, the US military reported that its air defenses had thwarted a surprise Iranian assault on US troops in the region.

US forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8:00 p.m. ET today (0000 GMT), US Central Command said in a statement.

The strikes represent a strong response to yesterday's attempted Iranian attacks on US forces based in the Middle East.

Jordan's military said it had intercepted five Iranian missiles. US bases in Jordan have recently become primary Iranian targets, where three US service members were killed this month in the worst US losses since March.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had fired several ballistic missiles at US military installations in Jordan and struck three tankers attempting to transit through the Strait of Hormuz along an unauthorized route.